The first of Angel's "champagne operettas" in 1953, and never surpassed despite the few cuts and the bassy voice of Kunz as Danilo; he nonetheless has the music in his bones, while Schwarzkopf had not yet acquired the mannerisms which disfigure the remake.

You won't find either of these in the shops as they have never been reissued. F-D's remake with Barenboim is available but lacks the freshness of the earlier version, although you get much more music. Souzay, as always, offers the antidote to those who find F-D too emphatic.